Category: Emor

The Millennial Kingdom

May, 2003

Vayikra (Leviticus) 21:1-24:23 | Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 44:15-31

This Torah portion concentrates on the laws governing the priesthood and the establishment of the Biblical calendar. The Haftarah from Ezekiel 44:15-31 does the same, but speaks of how those laws will be implemented in the Millennial Kingdom. As such, this prophecy grants us an informative glimpse into the world of the millennial kingdom.

The Need for Sacrifices

The very fact that there will be a Temple where blood sacrifices will be offered indicates that there will be a need for such sacrifices. They will not only be thanksgiving offerings, either. Some of the offerings are called sin offerings,” (Ezekiel 44:29).

The Need for Biblical Instruction

In this Haftarah we notice that one of the jobs of the future cohanim will be to teach God’s word. Conversely, that means that there will be people who will need such teaching. Just because Messiah will be physically among us, does not negate the fact that God’s Word will still be needed—and, in fact, will still be taught.

The Need for Justice

The prophets indicate that when Messiah returns, “With righteousness He will judge the poor, and decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; and He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.” (Isaiah 11:4)

This Haftarah reinforces that idea and adds one more thought to it. Whereas in Isaiah we are told that Messiah will judge between people, in Ezekiel we learn that the cohanim will decide disputes. Moreover, we also learn that there will, in fact, be disputes between the inhabitants of the Millennium.

The Weather Conditions

Ezekiel 44:18 gives a small clue about some of the weather conditions in the Millennium. We are told that the cohanim will be instructed to wear clothes that will not make them sweat. This implies that there will be sweating in the Millennium! In addition, Zechariah chapter 14 tells us that there will be both rain and drought in the Millennium.

Normal Food and Drinks

In verses 44:21, 29–31 where we are told that foods such as wine, fruit, meat, as well as other kinds of food will be common in the Millennium.
People will get Married

The cohanim are instructed about what kind of wives they may take for themselves. This, of course, implies that people will get married in the Millennium.

The Mo’adim will be Celebrated

In Zechariah we learn that the first mo’ed that will be celebrated after Messiah returns will be Sukkot. Apparently the celebrating will not stop with that one. Ezekiel 44:24 indicates that all of the mo’adim will be observed in the Millennial kingdom, including Shabbat. Can you imagine the celebrations with the Messiah present for all of them?

There will be Death

Unfortunately, there will also be death in the Millennial Kingdom. We see this in Ezekiel 44:25 where we are told about the requirements that the future cohanim will have to think about when a close relative dies. Thus, death will occur in the Millennium, even amidst nearly perfect conditions.

The Difference

One might wonder from all of this what blessings there will be in the Millennium since life seems to be so much like we know it now. First, we know that everyone who enters the Millennium will be a righteous person. Thus, at least for a while, the righteous will dominate the earth. In this present age, it is very difficult for us to fully comprehend how wonderful life will be when that happens.

A second main difference will be the amount of blessing that the righteous in the Millennium will enjoy. Isaiah chapters two and eleven tell us about just a few of the many blessings: we learn that there will be safety from outward dangers, both from the animal kingdom and from hostile human kingdoms. In addition, there will be an abundance of correct biblical teaching. The Torah will again be in its position of honor among God’s people. Furthermore, there will be perfect justice. Although we do not like the fact that there will be a need to dispense justice, we can be encouraged to know that, when needed, justice will be there.

Finally, the most obvious difference will be that the Messiah Yeshua Himself will be living among us on planet earth. He will be the source of all that will be good for us. He will be the source of true Torah teaching. He will be the source of fair justice. And, He will be the source of all of our joys and the object of all of our worship.

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